Record sensing mechanism

ABSTRACT

The disclosure embodies a record processing tool and includes mechanism for activating the tool to detect a code hole in a record medium. The tool is activated by a lever selectively pivoted about one of two opposite-acting fulcrums by cyclically operable means, selection being dependent on the retraction of one of the fulcrums.

O Umted States Patent [:51 3,660,640 Terbrueggen et al. [451 May 2, 1972[54] RECORD SENSING MECHANISM [56] References Cited [72] Inventors: PaulL. Terbrueggen, Grosse Pointe UNITED STATES PATENTS Farms; Georg K.Caspari, Plymouth, both of Mich. 2,619,532 11/1952 Blodgett ..235/61.l1C Assigneez Burroughs Corporation Detroit, Mich. 3,118,054 1/1964 Perez..23$/61.l 1 C [22] Filed: Mar. 26, 1970 Primary Examiner-Daryl W. Cook[21 1 Appl' No: 30,612 Attorney-Paul W. Fish and Edwin W. Uren RelatedU.S. Application Data ABSTRACT [62] Division of Ser. No. 736,488, June12, 1968, Pat. No. The disclosure embodies a record processing tool andincludes 3,556,396. mechanism for activating the tool to detect a codehole in a record medium. The tool is activated by a lever selectively[52] U.S. Cl. ..235/61.11 C ivoted about one of two opposite-actingfulcrums by li. [51] Int. Cl. ..G06k 7/04 all r bl ea election beingdependent on the [58] Field of Search ..235/6l.11 R, 61.11 C, 61.11 B;retraction f n Qfthe fulcrums,

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 2 m2 INVENTORS GEORG K. CASPARIPAUL L. TERBRUEGGEN RECORD SENSING MECHANISM This is a division ofapplication Ser. No. 736,488, filed June 12, 1968, and which is now US.Pat. No. 3,556,396, having been patented on Jan. 19, 1971.

SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION The invention resides in the provision of amechanism which selectively pivots a lever about one of twoopposite-acting fulcrums toactivate a record processing tool.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a ;plan view of-a record sensing mechanismembodying features of the invention, showing the operating parts of themechanism in'their normal positions;

FIG. 2 is a side view.

With referenceto FIGS. 1 and 2, the mechanism includes a supportingmeans -52, a record processing tool or sensing pin 56, acyclically'operable means 76, and a motion transmitting mechanism 77.The pin '56, the cyclically operable means 76, and the motiontransmitting mechanism 77 may be mounted on a pair of upright plates 54of supporting means 52, of which only one is shown. The pin 56 and thecyclically operable means 76 are spaced apart with the motiontransmitting mechanism 77 therebetween.

A rotatable camshaft 98 is joumaled in the plates 54 and may be rotatedby any one of many well-known business machine motors. The camshaft 98has a first or drive cam 51 affixed thereon.

The drive cam 51 is an eccentric having a high point 55 and a low point53. The drive cam 51 is joumaled in a link 57 pivotally connected to asecond rockable lever 72. A first rockable lever 64 is pivotallyconnected to one end 74 of a second rockable lever 72. When themechanism is in its normal position, the other end. 63 of the secondlever 72 rests upona second stop member 70, which is affixed to theplates 54.

The sensing pin v56 is pivotally connected to one end 59 of the firstlever, 64, the pivotal connection forming a first fulcrum 58, and isyieldably urged by a coil spring 84 against a pin return stop member'65, which is affixed to the plates 54. When the mechanism is in itsnormal position, the end 59 of the first lever 64 rests upon a firststop member 62, which is affixed to the plates 54; and the other end 61of the first lever 64 is yieldably urged by a coilspring 82 against asecond fulcrum 60, which is also affixed to the plates 54.

A control member 68, which may be a switch, is positioned on theplates54 such that it will be actuated by the end 61 of the first lever 64 asit pivots away from the second fulcrum 60.

A bellcrank 88 is pivotally positioned on the plates 54 such that aprojection on the bellcrank 88 forms a retractablefulcrum 89 effectiveto restrain the end 63 of the second lever 72 from pivoting away fromthe second stopmember 70 when the bellcrank 88 is rotated toward thesecond lever 72. The bellcrank 88 is biased in this direction by.a coilspring 94 but is normally held away by a retractable latch 90,retractable by power means 80, which may be a solenoid.

A second or reset cam 96 is also affixed to the camshaft 98. The resetcam 96 is an eccentric having a high point 95 and a low point 97. A camfollower roller 99 is attached to an arm of a tripedal lever 92andisyieldablyurged against the reset cam 96 by a coil spring 67. A secondarm of the tripedal lever 92 is pivotally mounted to-the bellcrank 88 atits point of pivotal connection 93 to the plates 54..A third arm 91 ofthe tripedal lever 92 extends to a position effective to reset the latch90 to its normal position, supplementing the latch resetting action ofthe coil spring 87, when the tripedal lever 92 is pivoted toward thelatch 90 by the action of the reset cam 96. A stud 83 is affixed to thethirdarm 91 of-the tripedal lever 92 in a position effective to resetthe bellcrank 88 to its normal position when the tripedal lever 92 ispivoted toward the bellcrank 88 by the action of the reset cam 96.

A shackle 86 ispivotally, mounted between the second lever 72, at thepoint of pivotal connection of the link 57 to the second lever 72, andthe plates 54, at the pivot point 81.

A perforated backup 69 is secured to the plates 54. Its perforation 71is aligned to the direction of travel of the pin 56 and elongated in thedirection of travel of the record media.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, assuming the mechanism, depicted in itsnormal position, is in an idle mode, the constantly rotating camshaft 98rotates the drive cam 51 clockwise; and the link 57 is driven upward, asthe high point 55 of the drive cam 51 approaches the uppermost point ofits travel, exerting an upward force on the second lever 72 pivotallyconnected thereto. The second lever 72 is restrained at one end by theweight of the first lever 64 pivotally connected thereto, but the otherend 63 is free and moves upward. After the high point 55 of the drivecam 51 passes the uppermost point of its travel, the second lever 72 islowered to its normal position.

In a sensing mode, the power means 80 is activated, retract- 7 ing thelatch 90. With the latch 90 retracted, the bellcrank 88 will be pivotedtoward the end 63 of the second lever 72 by the coil spring 94, thusmoving the fulcrum 89 into effective position over the end 63 of thesecond lever 72.

The constantly rotating camshaft 98 rotates the drive cam 51 clockwise;and the link 57 is driven upward, as the high point 55 of the drive cam51 approaches the uppermost point of its travel, exerting an upwardforce on the second lever 72 pivotally connected thereto. The secondlever 72 is restrained at one end 63 by the retractable fulcrum 89. Theother end 74 is forced upward, exerting an upward force on the firstlever 64 pivotally connected thereto.

The first lever is restrained at one end 61 by the coil spring 82. Theother end 59 is free and moves upward, providing the record medium inthe processing station 50 contains a code hole, carrying the sensing pin56 into agreement with the perforation 71 in the backup 69 as the highpoint 55 of the drive cam 51 reaches the uppermost point of its travel.After the high point 55 of the drive cam 51 passes the uppermost pointof its travel, the first 64 and second 72 levers are lowered to theirnormal positions.

If the record medium in the processing station 50 does not contain acode hole, the sensing pin 56 will be prevented from moving upward; andthe other end 61 of the first lever 64 will be forced upward against thebias of the coil spring 82, activating the control means 68 as the highpoint 55 of the drive cam 51 reaches the uppermost point of its travel.After the high point 55 of the drive cam 51 passes the uppermost pointof its travel, the first 64 and second 72 levers are lowered to theirnormal positions.

The constantly rotating camshaft 98 also rotates the reset cam 96clockwise. The high point 95 of this cam 96 lags the high point 55 ofthe drive cam 51 such that it reaches its up perrnost point of travelafter the high point 55 of the drive cam 51 has passed its uppermostpoint of travel. The action of the reset cam 96 pivots the tripedallever 92 clockwise, causing the bellcrank reset stud 83 to pivot thebellcrank 88 clockwise, thus retracting the fulcrum 89 from itseffective position relative to the end 63 of the second lever 72. Thearm 91 of the tripedal lever 92 also supplements the action of the coilspring 87 in restoring the latch to its normal position. By the time thehigh point 55 of the drive cam 51 reaches its lowermost point of travel,the high point 95 of the reset cam 96 has passed its effective positionwith respect to the tripedal lever 92; and the bellcrank 88 is onceagain in its normal position, held away from the end 63 of the secondlever 72 by the retractable latch 90.

The function of the shackle 86 is to restrict the motion imparted to thesecond lever 72 by the drive cam 51 at the pivotal point of connectionof the link 57 to the second lever 72 such that this point effectivelyreciprocates vertically.

What is claimed is:

1. A record media processing apparatus having a sensing station in therecord media travel path, comprising supporting means, asensing pin, afirst fulcrum on said sensing pin, a second fulcrum on said supportingmeans, a first stop member on said supporting means, a first leverfulcrumed on said first and second fulcrums to carry and move saidsensing pin through a code hole in a record medium and actuate a controlmember in response thereto, said first lever normally resting on saidfirst stop member and said second fulcrum, a second stop member on saidsupporting means, a second lever pivotally connected to said firstlever, said second lever normally resting on said second stop member andpivotable away from said second stop member relative to said first leverabout said pivotal connection with said first lever, a first cyclicallyoperable means operable to pivot said second lever about said pivotalconnection, a third and normally retracted fulcrum on said supportingmeans movable to an effective position to restrain said second leverfrom pivoting away from said second stop member to effect pivoting ofsaid first lever by said second lever, and power means activatable tomove said normally retracted fulcrum to effective position.

2. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein said second fulcrum ismovably yieldable by and upon rocking of said first lever on said firstfulcrum.

3. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein said sensing pin isyieldable in the direction of travel of said record media.

4. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein a backup member is mountedon said supporting means having a perforation aligned in the directionof travel of said sensing pin and elongated in the direction of travelof the record media.

5. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein said third fulcrumcomprises a normally retracted bellcrank pivotable on said supportingmeans, the inclusion of a retractable latch normally positioned to holdsaid bellcrank retracted, a tripedal lever pivotally connected to thepivot point of said bellcrank, a second cyclically operable meansoperable to pivot said tripedal lever about said pivot point of saidbellcrank to effect resetting said bellcrank and said movable abutmentto said normal positions and operatively connected to said power means.

6. A mechanism as defined by claim 5 wherein said bellcrank is yieldablybiased to engage said second lever.

6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 5Dated March 26, 1970 Inventor(s) Paul L. Terbrueggen and Georg K.Caspari It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 1, line &5, delete "second fulcrum" and insert --third stopmember--, line 49, delete "second fulcrum" and insert --third stopmember. An actuating arm of the control member 68 is yieldably biasedagainst the end 61 of the first lever 6H and forms a movably yieldablesecond fulcrum 66 at its point of contact therewith.--.

Col. 2, line 33, after "hole," and before "carrying" insert -pivotingabout the second fulcrum 66 and--, line +3, after "82," and before"activating" insert --and the movably yieldable second fulcrum 66--.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of February 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCI'IERJR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. A record media processing apparatus having a sensing station in therecord media travel path, comprising supporting means, a sensing pin, afirst fulcrum on said sensing pin, a second fulcrum on said supportingmeans, a first stop member on said supporting means, a first leverfulcrumed on said first and second fulcrums to carry and move saidsensing pin through a code hole in a record medium and actuate a controlmember in response thereto, said first lever normally resting on saidfirst stop member and said second fulcrum, a second stop member on saidsupporting means, a second lever pivotally connected to said firstlever, said second lever normally resting on said second stop member andpivotable away from said second stop member relative to said first leverabout said pivotal connection with said first lever, a first cyclicallyoperable means operable to pivot said second lever about said pivotalconnection, a third and normally retracted fulcrum on said supportingmeans movable to an effective position to restrain said second leverfrom pivoting away from said second stop member to effect pivoting ofsaid first lever by said second lever, and power means activatable tomove said normally retracted fulcrum to effective position.
 2. Amechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein said second fulcrum is movablyyieldable by and upon rocking of said first lever on said first fulcrum.3. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein said sensing pin isyieldable in the direction of travel of said record media.
 4. Amechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein a backup member is mounted onsaid supporting means having a perforation aligned in the direction oftravel of said sensing pin and elongated in the direction of travel ofthe record media.
 5. A mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein saidthird fulcrum comprises a normally retracted bellcrank pivotable on saidsupporting means, the inclusion of a retractable latch normallypositioned to hold said bellcrank retracted, a tripedal lever pivotallyconnected to the pivot point of said bellcrank, a second cyclicallyoperable means operable to pivot said tripedal lever about said pivotpoint of said bellcrank to effect resetting said bellcrank and saidmovable abutment to said normal positions and operatively connected tosaid power means.
 6. A mechanism as defined by claim 5 wherein saidbellcrank is yieldably biased to engage said second lever.